The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) has extended a waiver that gives trainees in California postgraduate medical education training programs more time to pass or retake Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Under the waiver, individuals whose applications would be deemed abandoned between February 1, 2021, and April 2, 2021, due to the applicant failing to pass the Step 3 USMLE exam now have 18 months from the date of written notification by the Medical Board of California to satisfy the examination requirements.

DCA has also extended a waiver that temporarily removes the ratios for physicians supervising nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Physicians can continue to supervise the number of NPs or PAs they can competently and confidently supervise without a statutory ratio in place.

This waiver was authorized by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order (N-39-20) that eased the path for many health care professionals to practice in an expanded capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak. The waiver does not lift the physician supervision requirement for PAs, NPs or other allied health professionals. This order has been extended through April 9, 2021.

You can read the full waivers and see a list of current waivers on the DCA website.